Cantilevered support arms for plastic bag rack

Abstract

A two-wire structure for use in suspending plastic bags on a rack is formed by inwardly bending each of the end portions of a single straight length of wire such that each lies against the middle portion thereof with their terminal ends butt welded together and with an upwardly directed looped protuberance formed on each end of the two-wire structure. Each end portion of the two-wire structure so formed is then bent to provide cantilevered support arms extending at right angles from each end of the middle portion thereof which forms the back of the two-wire structure by which the cantilevered support arms are attached to a rack. Such a construction provides the upwardly directed looped protuberances for use as safety precautions on the ends of the cantilevered support arms and further assures that each of the cantilevered support arms is provided with a continuous surface throughout its length. Such a continuous surface is needed to enable small mounting holes punched on the side handles of a stack of plastic bags in a flattened condition to pass over the end protuberances and slide along the cantilevered support arms during the storing and individual opening of the plastic bags in the stack.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. Apparatus for use in suspending flexible plastic bags on a rack, said apparatus comprising: a wire back for said rack provided with side upper ends;   a transverse back wire member connected to the back of said rack so as to be positioned below the side upper ends thereof, said transverse back wire having on each side thereof a forwardly and upwardly inclined brace, each said brace provided with a terminal end;   a pair of elongated support arms, each support arm formed from a continuous length of wire bent back on itself so as to provide a free end portion with an upwardly directed looped protuberance thereon and upper and lower wire portions along the length thereof; and   each said support arm connected to be cantilevered from one of the side upper ends of the back for the rack and further supported by having the upper and lower wire portions thereof connected near the rear thereof to the upper terminal end of the brace on each side of said transverse back wire member;   whereby the upwardly directed looped protuberances on the free end portions of said cantilevered support arms serve as safety features on the rack and the upper and lower wire portions provide the cantilevered support arms with a continuous surface.   
     
     
       2. Apparatus, formed of a single length of wire having a middle portion and end portions with terminal ends, for use in suspending plastic bags on a rack, said apparatus comprising: a two-wire structure provided by bending each end portion of said single length of wire such that it lies on its middle portion with its opposing terminal ends secured together;   said two-wire structure having a middle portion and end portions with protuberances formed on each end thereof by the bending of each said end portion of said single length of wire on its middle portion; and   said two-wire structure having each of its end portions bent at right angles to its middle portion to provide a support arm cantilevered forwardly from each end of the middle portion which forms the back of said two-wire structure;   whereby the protuberances on the ends of said cantilevered support arms serve as safety features and each of said cantilevered support arms is provided with a continuous surface throughout the length thereof.   
     
     
       3. Apparatus for use in suspending plastic bags on a rack as defined in claim 2 wherein the middle portion which forms the back of said two-wire structure is provided with space forwardly projecting vertically disposed V shaped offsets for use in attaching the two-wire structure to a wire back of the rack. 
     
     
       4. Apparatus, formed of a single length of wire having a middle portion and end portions with terminal ends, for use in suspending plastic bags on a rack, said apparatus comprising: a structure comprised of upper and lower wire portions provided by bending each end portion of said single length of wire beneath its middle portion and having its terminal ends butt welded together;   said structure including a middle back portion and a support arm portion with a free end cantilevered forwardly from each end of said middle back portion;   said middle back portion having its upper wire portion lying above and substantially in contact with its lower wire portion throughout its length ; and   each said cantilevered support arms having a protuberance on the free end thereof provided by the bending of the end portion of the single length of wire beneath its middle portion and having its upper wire portion substantially in contact with its lower wire portion throughout its length.   
     
     
       5. Apparatus, formed from a single length of wire having a middle portion and end portions with terminal ends, for use in suspending plastic bags on a rack, said apparatus comprising: a double wire structure comprised of upper and lower wire portions provided by bending back each of the end portions of the single length of wire beneath its middle portion;   said double wire structure including a back portion and a support arm portion with a free end cantilevered forwardly from each end of said back portion;   each said cantilevered support arms having an upwardly directed looped protuberance on the free end thereof provided by the bending back of the end portion of the single length of wire beneath its middle portion and having its upper wire portion lying adjacent its lower wire portion throughout its cantilevered length; and   said back portion having its upper wire portion lying adjacent its lower wire portion and having forwardly projecting vertically disposed V shaped offsets formed at the center of and inwardly from each end of the upper and lower wire portions thereof.   
     
     
       6. Apparatus for use in suspending plastic bags on a rack as defined in claim 5 wherein: said rack has a back with a top transverse wire provided with rearwardly projecting vertically disposed flats at the middle and inward from each end thereof similarly to the spacing of the V shaped offsets on the back portion of the double wire structure;   each of the upper and lower wire portions forming the back portion of said middle wire structure has a diameter which is substantially 2/3 the diameter of the top transverse wire on the back of said rack; and   the back portion of said double wire structure is secured to the back of said rack by spot welding the forwardly projecting V shaped offsets on the upper and lower wires portions forming the back portion of the double wire structure to the rearwardly projecting flats on the single wire forming the back of said rack.   
     
     
       7. Apparatus for use in suspending plastic bags on a rack, said apparatus comprising: a double-wire structure formed from a single length of wire having a middle portion and end portions with terminal ends, said double-wire structure comprised of upper and lower wire portions provided by bending back each of the end portions of the single length of wire beneath its middle portion and having its terminal ends secured together;   said double-wire structure including a back portion and a support arm portion with a free end cantilevered forwardly from each end of said back portion;   each said cantilevered support arm portion having an upwardly directed looped protuberance on the front end thereof provided by the bending back of the end portion of the single length of wire beneath its middle portion and having its upper wire portion lying adjacent its lower wire portion throughout its cantilevered length; and   a transverse back wire member having a forwardly and upwardly inclined brace with an upper terminal end on each side thereof;   said transverse back wire member located below the back portion of said double-wire structure to provide a back for said rack with the upper terminal ends of said braces secured to the upper and lower wire portions of the respective cantilevered support arms near the rear ends thereof; and   a connector plate connected across the back portion and the transverse back wire member on each side of the back for said rack, each said connector plate provided with openings for enabling the back of said rack to be attached to a wall.   
     
     
       8. Apparatus, formed of a single length of wire having a middle portion and end portions with terminal ends, for use in suspending plastic bags on a rack, said apparatus comprising: a structure comprised of upper and lower wire portions provided by bending each end portion of said single length of wire beneath its middle portion;   said structure including a middle back portion and a support arm portion with a free end cantilevered forwardly from each end of said middle back portion; and   each said cantilevered support arm portion having a protuberance on the free end thereof provided by the bending of the end portion of the single length of wire beneath its middle portion and having its upper wire portion positioned adjacent its lower wire portion.